The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-04
MORNING NEWS LIBRARY, NO. ct.
FIVE OLD LETTERS.
BY MISS S. LUCY JoYNER.
copyrighted, 1887, By J. Fl. Estill.l
CHAPTER u.-CoNTINUED.

Cf1AI En- 1l.--SONIlN OED.
Jan. 1S.-How long it seems since wrote
all that! jeffrey can it be that you do not
know what have to tell you, as I sit alone
in my room, listening again to the wind and
rain sobbing and wailing, as if in sympathy
with my empty hearts Yes, empty-hke the
house, and all the dreary world. 1t is over.
am alone The rain is beating pitilessly
on my darling, where he lies, out in the cold.
Oh! God pity all who have ever listened to
that cruel sound as I now listen to it, God
help me to bear it, or my heart will break!
Good night, Jeffrey, dearest friend and
cousin. If, before send this packet, l can
bear to open my bleeding wounds, l will tell
you all If not, when time has softened it
they say it WILT must, or l shall die!-I
will write again.
Jan. 25.-A glorious day! Sunshine every
where The far-off hills that see from my
narrow window are swimming in a golden
glory of light nd shadow. 1t steals through
the little cracked panes of glass, in a warm,
glad stream over my bare floor, rests loving
" on the fower-pots that l have neglected
so long, and plays over my black dress, and
tired hands. But not one faint ray reaches
my heart. o, jeffrey, there is no light for
and hoped and prayed, while there was one
to work for one whom my smiles could
cheer, one for whom / could pray, for whom
| did pray that God would, at least, bring
her back to him, that he might die with his
heart at rest. Too late! oh, too latel As
WRITE from the adjoining roonl-his room
faint means reach my ear that make my
heart ache with dread and loneliness, for
Edith is lying there-Edith, whom my
brother loved, and blessed with his last
breath-Edith, whose wild beauty won his
love, whose jealousy broke his heart Edith,
who made his life one long pain with his
love and his fears for her future-she is
here, sick and alOne-dying, perhaps, and
must arouse myself and care for her, work
for her, watch by her side, as did for him,
with that terrible ''too late"' ringing in my
heart / am weak, weak to-day! l shud-
der to think how hopeless and dark my soul
has grown. O, to lie out yonder in the
quiet church-yard, by his side! o, to feel
that never again must take up the burden
of life!
Let me try to tell YOU now, Jeffrey, while
my heart goes back over these last sorrow
full weeks It was in the dead of night
when heard his voice calling to me:
Bessie! Bessie!"
Can l ever forget those tones2 They
awoke me from happy slumbers to realities,
the bitterness of which ! had never dreamed
| was at his side in moment. He had not
been worse and we had parted at bedtime
most cheerfully, yet, when l saw him, l
knew what it wasl
He was not afraid, he said, and there was
nothing to do. He would not have the doc
tor-he did not need him. He felt that his
life was going out, and he wanted me near
him. That was all! Alls o, Father in
heaven! had it indeed comet what | had
feared and dreaded, and wildly prayed to
ba Ind
could / face it thus, alone? did do it. For
a long time we two talked together, loving
ly, quietly, sadly; and then the cold damp
gathered on his brow, and l watched him.
breathing hard. looking at me with voice
less pity in his eyes, while held his head
on my breast pressing passionate kisses on
the lips that could no longer speak to me-
Gsaling, with what despairing agony can
lever tell, that he was slipping from me,
and all my love could not keep him; that
his feet were in the dark waters, and | could
not help him! When the dawn came, and
great, ghostly shadows were filling the
room, held him still in my arms-clasped
close-with his dear, dead face smiling up
into mine. The very shadow of death was
upon my soul. | do not know how long
sat thus. l did not know who it was that
lifted my dead from my arms, at last, and
led me away, until found myself lying on
my bed, and heard Mrs O'Flannigan's
hcartsome tones, talking to nurse.
AN so she wouldn't call We, as would
save her livery fret, intirely, if only ye
could, but jist set there, in the dead o. night
a huggin', an huggin' o. his poir dead
body--as if, poir thing, she could liver hug
any loife into that cowld clay. o, an it's
sad, for shurer' Hero | heard a Sob 81
don't mean to Civ way, for it's meself as
should hearten the rist of We, but it's enuf
to take the heart out Of a body to think o.
CHI l.z1l fha ind
docthrer whit in-jist a settin' there, all
scared loiie, with her eyes looking for all
the wurruld like two great blue stones, and
her poir face as whoite as the dead mans.
Och! Misthress Nurse, niver, IN all me days,
have seen SIGH howly and divoine look
on the face of my human, Twin or dead. IL
seemed to say roight to me heart: All!
Misthress O'Flannigin, it's all roight, in
tirely, with me, now No more scutilln'
with this warysome loife, niver bit Of rint
TO bother over here, for the swate smoile
heerled to say, this heer is hevvin, and this
heer is rest, and the blissid Christ and the
howly Saints is a bonding up me wounds,
ard pouring of oil into me heart It's
sNate ard clane in the room, and the doc
tnrers fetched foine chance O. blossoms,
and bought whoite rose and it's Biddy
O,tlannigan as laid it on his breast, her own
sill, fur he niver held hisself above the
ioikes o. mo, didn't Mr. Harrud, an he'd al
Jus koind wurrud for Biddy, an sure an
know'd as she as were his darlint wouldn't
niver take IL anliss-not she, God bliss her,
an, no, a loolyin' that carrum and peaceful,
lolSe. Q, but the tears viii come into these
ould eyes o moline whin ] think o. that poir
ieinb SO jist pick up heart, honey, an
don't be givin way 20 20 own feelinlfs,
tho sure an it's but nat'ral you should feel
bt cut yp, filr it's koind 70 You he were;
bnt diry yeEeyes, and look afthor The young